Speaking of Beethoven, one shouldn´t forget his context: the time he lived and worked at as well as his contemporaries and fellow composers, which to a large extent have been unfairly forgotten later. Today we are going to compensate for it and to perform some compositions which Beethoven´s artistic heritage is framed by. Franz Krommer, born in Moravia as František Kramář, was an older colleague of Beethoven who managed to make a brilliant career as a musician and a choirmaster at the Imperial Court of Austria. Krommer was widely active as a violinist, composer and a conductor, wrote quite a range of pieces for violin and adhered meticulously to rules and guidelines of the Viennese classics. Charles-Auguste de Bériot, an outstanding fiddler considered as Paganini´s rival, was born in modern Belgium (former Netherlands) about 30 years after Beethoven: today we are hearing his grand duet for two violins. Both Krommer and de Bériot represent the major change of the music perception Beethoven also contributed to: the attention moved from the Viennese classics with its strict guidelines and systematics to the Romantic Age fascinated by revolutions, rebellions and outstanding characters. The musical context of the Beethoven era is exciting – both in connection with Beethoven and on its own!

The violin ensemble Innovation Duo came into existence in 2004, as the both violinists Jakub Dzialak (Warsaw – Zurich) and Anna Savytska (Lviv – Zurich) catched attention of the international musical community for the first time. The repertoire of the duet includes a wide range of pieces from the 16th to the 21st centuries: forgotten masterpieces, unique interpretations of popular salon music, Renaissance compositions as well as creative experiments by contemporary composers – you name it. Distinguishing for Innovation Duo is their strong charisma and a breathtaking, theatrical dialogue between the two violins. The young Ukrainian Anna Savytska is fond of the musical heritage of her homeland and presents it willingly at every concert – this time we will hear a contemporary musical creation by Anna Havryletz dedicated to Innovation Duo. 

Franz KROMMER
Duo for two violins, op.33 No.1
Allegro moderato – Adagio – Rondo  

Charles August DE BERIOT
Grand Duo concertant for two violins, op.57, No.3
Adagio – Rondo Allegro

Anna HAVRYLETZ
“…Beyond body and soul…”  (2007)
Dedicated to Innovation Duo